After
by Captain-Overkill
Summary: Post-series, usual spoiler warnings apply. Loki and Thor have a quiet discussion about the future.


After  
  
A Matantei Loki Ragnarok Fanfic  
  
The hour had grown late, and the impromptu party that had sprung up at Loki's mansion after his aborted decision to return to Asgard had finally begun to wind down. The sense of relief at Loki's decision to stay had been palpable after he'd returned to the mansion, and not just from Mayura. They'd all been happy not to have to leave her behind. It was something that Loki could not quite understand. He wondered how on earth the crazy pink-haired teenager had managed to worm her way into all their hearts so quickly.  
  
As the night dragged on, it was evident that she did not to go, claiming she was just too tired to walk home. Loki suspected that she just didn't want to let him out of her sight. He supposed he should have been annoyed, but instead he found it endearing. So he'd allowed her to set up camp on the sofa in his study. She'd fallen asleep with her head in his lap and Fenrir (and, unbeknownst to her, Ecchan) curled up on top of her stomach. Really, if the scene were any sweeter, he was sure his teeth would start to rot.  
  
Except for a single lamp, the study was dark and quiet, with no noise other than the soft sounds of Mayura's breathing and the tapping of a gentle spring rain on the window outside. Yamino had finished cleaning up downstairs and had gone to bed some time ago. Loki leaned back and closed his eyes, not really willing to awaken Mayura in order to get to his own bed. He couldn't remember the last time he'd been so totally and completely happy, able to relax and bask in the warmth of the love of his somewhat dysfunctional family. Even problems like Odin seemed far away. He was just starting to drift to sleep when he heard a soft knock at the door. It creaked open a moment later.  
  
"Hey, Loki," whispered a familiar voice. "You still up?"  
  
"Come in, Narukami-kun. I didn't know you were still here," Loki murmured.  
  
Narugami quietly stepped into the room and closed it behind him. He handed Loki a glass of wine and took a seat on the couch across from him. Mayura did not stir as Loki took a drink while absently running his fingers through her tousled hair.  
  
"I would have left earlier, but I was polishing off the last of Four-Eyes' sandwiches. Can't let all that delicious food go to waste, after all," he said, grinning widely.  
  
Loki sighed. "You're incorrigible, Narukami-kun."  
  
Narugami chuckled. "So... what are you going to do about her?"  
  
Loki carefully schooled the expression on his face into neutrality. "What do you mean?"  
  
"I mean about Mayura. We all know why you came back, you know. I'm glad you did it, too. It would have been... wrong to be without her."  
  
Loki sighed and looked down at Mayura's peaceful, sleeping face. "I'm only staving off the inevitable, though. Sooner or later... there will be a reckoning."  
  
Narugami nodded. "Yes. We might want to think about asking Idun for a golden apple for her when we go back, you know."  
  
Loki stared at him, amazed, his breath taken away by the sheer audacity of the statement. "Are you really serious? Do you have any idea what you're suggesting, Thor?"  
  
Narugami shrugged. "It seems like we're breaking an awful lot of rules and routines these days. And you know, she's already almost one of us."  
  
"We have changed her, yes, but... you know it would mean taking her away from her friends and her family."  
  
"What friends? There's the rich boy, and that's about it. Everyone in our class thought she was a little odd even before she got involved with you, and now she hardly has anything to do with them anymore. What's going to happen to her if one day we're just suddenly not there?"  
  
Loki's face was troubled. "What you're proposing has never been done before. To make a human into a god..."  
  
"She's already changing, you know," Narugami said, pressing his point. "How long will it be before she starts to see your familiar? Before she can understand Fenrir's speech? In all the ways that count, she's already one of us. Best to get the remaining formalities out of the way, don't you think?"  
  
There was a long silence as Loki tilted his head back and considered what Narugami had told him. "You've been thinking about this for a long time, haven't you, Narukami-kun? Is it because of what went on at that dojo where you worked?"  
  
Narugami was quiet. "Yes," he whispered finally, his voice barely audible.  
  
Loki took another sip out of his cup. "Now, let me turn your question around. What are you going to do about Verdandi?"  
  
Narugami laughed quietly. "I suppose I should have expected that. I don't know, really. I was going to kill her, at first, but..."  
  
Loki chuckled. "I'm surprised she didn't tear your clothes off right at the table tonight, Narukami-kun. She was practically in your lap, especially after she started drinking."  
  
"Don't remind me," he groaned, as his face turned red. "She's been finding excuses to feed me and touch me practically every time we see each other. She's like a completely different person now. I don't know whether she's doing this because she wants to make up for what she did, or whether she's really interested. At first, I thought she was just trying to make amends, but now..."  
  
"You know, that construct's personality was almost certainly modeled after her own. I don't think Verdandi is just trying to make amends."  
  
There was another long silence as the two gods sat in and watched the rain fall outside the window. Loki was just beginning to drift off again when Narugami spoke, his voice nearly a whisper again.  
  
"When did you become like this, Loki?"  
  
"Hmm?"  
  
"You're so... different. Not like you were when we lived in Asgard."  
  
"And what was I like when I lived in Asgard?"  
  
"You were a troublemaker and a wastrel," said Narugami, but his voice held a hint of uncertainty now.  
  
"Narukami-kun, how well did any of know each other in Asgard, really? When was the last time the Norns had anything to do with the rest of us? When is the last time Heimdall left his post? Could you imagine all of us being together like this in Asgard?"  
  
"No, I couldn't," Narugami said quietly.  
  
"I like it here, Narukami-kun. This place has changed us, made us all better and stronger people, I think. Even when we return, things won't go back to how they used to be. I don't know what it will be like, but... it won't be the same."  
  
"Do you ever think of just staying here forever, sometimes?" Narugami said, a trace of sadness in his voice.  
  
"All the time," Loki replied, "Midgard is a wonderful place. But we can't stay away forever, Narukami-kun. Your father won't let us."  
  
"Odin," Narugami spat, his face darkening with anger. "I'd appreciate it if you didn't kill him right away, Loki. There's some things I want to say to him, first. And never call him my father again. That... thing... isn't my father, not anymore."  
  
There was a trace of surprise in Loki's voice as he responded, "All right, all right, I won't."  
  
Narugami shook his head ruefully and rose to his feet, closing his hand around Mjollnir. "I'm just tired. It's been a long day and I should be going, I think. I'm going to need another part-time job. I quit my last one when I thought you were leaving."  
  
Loki laughed softly. "You work too hard, Narukami-kun. You ought to take some time off once in awhile."  
  
Narugami smiled at him. "I can't do that, Loki, it just wouldn't be right."  
  
Loki smiled back. "Have a good night, Narukami-kun."  
  
"I will. And, Loki... thanks."  
  
"Don't mention it."  
  
After he was gone, Mayura stirred a little in his lap and opened her eyes, looking up at him blearily. "Loki-kun?"  
  
"Go back to sleep, Mayura," he said tenderly, stroking her cheek. "I'll stay right here with you. I promise."  
  
"Ok. Love you, Loki-kun," she mumbled, before falling back asleep.  
  
"I love you too, Mayura," he whispered, even though she was no longer awake to hear it.  
  
***  
  
Any comments and criticism would be appreciated. 


End file.
